


In another life

by barkspawnvevo



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: AUs in which everybody is happy and everything is unicorns and rainbows, F/M, Well maybe not always, but we'll see
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 20:26:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3087968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barkspawnvevo/pseuds/barkspawnvevo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of "What if.."'s of Dragon Age universe. Mostly my own headcanons inspired by party banters/game dialogue. 1 chapter = 1 story usually. Using the game's own canon names for Wardens/Hawkes/Inquisitors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I'll meet you there

_What if..._ Maric had acknowledged Alistair as he was planning to and decided to marry him to a daughter of one of the noble families of Thedas? As it happens, one of these families has it's seat in Highever. As an ancient noble family and one of the two teyrnirs of Thedas, the Couslands have much power and wealth. The Couslands also have a daughter, Elissa, who is about the age of Alistair and a deal is struck between fathers of the youngsters.

 

**I'll meet you there - Alistair/Female Cousland**

Elissa Cousland took a deep breath. She hated the situation she were in: people around her were making a fuss, there were too many of them and she was wearing uncomfortable clothing. The dress she was wearing was ivory-coloured silk dress with a deeply-cut neckline decorated with ruffles of satine on her hips and shoulders. A wedding dress. This dress was made specifically for her and it was supposed to fit her like a glove. It, however, didn't. "Mother", Elissa said. An elderly woman with grey hair framing her delicate facial features raised her eyes from the flower bouquet she had been preparing. The bouquet was made entirely of blue, white and green to represent house Cousland's colors: blue cornflowers, irises and hydrangeas were beautifully arranged with green chrysanthemums, daylilies and roses mixed with white lilacs and callas. _Maker's breath, where did they found green roses?_ "Yes, darling?", teyrna Eleanor asked. "This dress doesn't fit me", Elissa complained. "It's way too tight from here and here", she said while pointing at different spots in her body she felt like the dress was bullying. "Doesn't fit you?", her mother asked. "But it was made just for you, with your measurements not even that while ago by the best Antivan tailors.". "I know", Elissa sighed. "I was there when they took the measurements and asked about the details and all that.". "Of course", Eleanor said with a gentle smile on her face. Then something lighted up in her eyes and her smile widened. "I know what it is.". "Please, do tell so I can get it fixed until I'm to wear this in front of half of Ferelden tomorrow", Elissa said frustrated. "It's your wedding tomorrow", her mother told her. "Yes, mother, I am aware of that. Thank you for telling me about it anyway", Elissa answered glaring at her mother in a very unladylike manner that made her maid's eyes widen in surprise. "No dear, that's not what I meant", Eleanor explained. "It's your wedding tomorrow, of course you are nervous of all things. That's why you think your dress doesn't fit and everything feels cursed. You just have to calm down, and before you know it, once you've settled down and are comfortable about the idea of getting married, the dress will fit you perfectly. Just you wait and see.". Elissa rolled her eyes the way she had seen some young servant girls do. This time the maid didn't even bother to cover her shock and let out a gasp. "Help me out of this dress, will you?" Elissa hissed to the maid who hurried to open up her laces. Getting the dress off was kind of easy which was a surprise, considering how much work it was to get it on. _Sodding Antivans,_ Elissa thought. _Of course they had to make me a dress that is as easily as possible to remove on my wedding night by my husband. Husband..._ Elissa's thoughts drifted off to Alistair, the king's acknowledged bastard whose mother was said to be some nowadays dead servant in Redcliffe Castle. Her future husband. She had seen him for the first time couple of days ago, when she and her family had arrived to Denerim to have her wedding at the royal palace. And to leave her there. _Will I ever see Highever again? And if I do, when will that be? Will I even like this man I am about to marry and spend the rest of my life with? I guess he was a comely lad, but that doesn't  guarantee anything_. The maid had finished tying up the laces of her more casual dress, a simple-cut green robe which had gotten many compliments for bringing up her eyes, which were almost the same color as the dress. "Now now, dear, is if better?" Elissa's mother asked. Elissa grunted an answer. This was the first time she had acted so unlady-ishly since childhood. Her mother had picked that on notice. "Yes, it is good that you let that anger and frustration out now so you don't hiss your "I do" tomorrow and scare your husband away", Eleanor said. "I remember how before my own wedding I was...". "Maker damn it Mother, this isn't your wedding, this is mine! I don't need you reminiscing your own wedding day in every turn!" Elissa yelled while storming out of the room. She slammed the heavy door shut behind her and kept on walking.

Before Elissa had even realized it herself, she had walked up on the bridge-like balcony between the quest wing and the royal wing of the castle. She leaned to the balcony rail and let out a soft sob. _What have I become? Yelling to my lady mother, being mean to innocent maids.. I will be a horrible wife._ She buried her face to her hands, and the tears started falling. "Excuse me, my lady", a sudden voice said behind her. She turned to look and saw Alistair Theirin standing few meters away from her, by the doors of the royal wing. He was looking rather good with his blond hair bit loose and his gold and crimson vest open, revealing his undershirt and just a peek of his chest under it. "Didn't mean to startle you", he said, "I just wanted to make sure you were fine. I heard you crying and had to see if something were wrong." Elissa sniffed again. "Thank you for your concern, my lord, but I am fine. I'm just a bit nervous..". "About tomorrow, huh? Well, if it's any comfort, you are not alone. My father and my brother have both been teasing me about marriage ever since Cailan himself got married. I swear, I've heard every single one "a man without a wife is like" -jokes there is", he said sighing deeply and leaning to the rail next to Elissa. He rested his head against his arm leaning on the railing. "So, what's making you nervous? I mean, who's scaring you with their speeches of terrible, horrifying married life?" he asked with a smile on his lips. "Uh.. It's my mother, mostly. She's just making such a horrible fuss about everything. And she keeps talking about her own wedding day over and over again and how it went", Elissa sighed. "Well, how did it went?" Alistair asked curiously. "Oh, you should ask her yourself, she's be more than happy to tell", she answered, but still continued: "Apparently there were all sorts of messes on my parents wedding day. My father had been so nervous last night before that he had almost ran away. Later he found out that my mother had been thinking about doing the exact same thing. Oh, and my father's mabari got into the larder and ate half of their wedding cake. It was later given a permission to eat the rest of the cake as well, because, you know, mabari drool. Not the best spicing.". Alistair let out an amused laugh. "Well, that would have been one of a wedding: both runaway bride AND groom and not even cake to comfort the poor quests who had arrived for nothing", he said. The thought did raise a little smile onto Elissa's lips. "We still have time to do that too, you know. Run away, not to go through this wedding", she said, not even certain herself if she was joking or not. "Should I take this as you really don't want to get married with me?", he asked with a smile in his voice. "No", Elissa said distressed. "It was just a jest, I didn't mean anything by it.". Alistair uttered a laughter. "It wouldn't be that easy, to be honest. My father would go through all of Thedas with a haircomb just to find me and bring me back at the altar in time. Also Cailan would have a dephtless fountain of "Alistair was so afraid to bed a girl that he ran away" -jokes... Are you blushing? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable", he said when he noticed the changing expression on Elissa's face when he mentioned the bedding. "No, it's all right. I just didn't expect that", she said, feeling her cheecks flaming. "Oh, good then. Once again, I'm terribly sorry for bringing the matter up. It just flew out of my mouth. Uh, you want to change the subject? I also understand if you just want to leave to your quarters", he said gulping. _Maybe it's true what he says. Maybe he's just as nervous as I am._ "No, I think changing the subject works just as fine", Elissa said and was relieved to see Alistair smile at her when she lifted her eyes up from her shoes she had been staring embarassed for some time. "So, tell me about Highever. What was it like to grow up in there?" he asked. "It's wonderful place. I loved how our gardens in my family's castle used to bloom during summers, despite the northern location", she answered and felt a new set of tears  burning her eyes. _No. I won't cry for a second time in front of him.. Not tonight._  "I hope you find the gardens of the castle lovely as well. Even though, I can't say if they compare to Highever. I have never been there. But I was thinking that once we're actually married, we could visit there. You know, to see your family. I bet you will miss them", Alistair said. Damn it man, are you trying to make me cry? "That.. I would like that", Elissa answered, managing to keep her tears down. "Can I ask you a stupid question?". "Of course", he answered. "'There's no stupid questions, only stupid answers', as our chantry's revered mother used to say.". "Is it possible that once the wedding's over and everything's calmed down, a bush of roses could be planted under the window of our bedroom?" she asked. "I used to have a rosebush under my window in Highever. My room was on the second floor, but it was still nice to open a window and watch them grow day by day as the summer went on.". "Well, of course", he said. He leaned a bit forward, cut a rose growing in flowerbox over the balcony rail and handed it to Elissa. "Would this kind please you?" he asked as Elissa examined the rose. The flower was perfect: it was deep crimson red with plush velvety petals and it smelled wonderful. She nodded, and was answered with a smile. "I'll have the gardener informed. But now I'm afraid that my royal family will soon send a search party after me, if I don't return to listen to their crude stories of their wedding nights. I bid you good night, my lady wife", he said with a blink of his eye. "And to you as well, my lord husband", she answered with a slight giggle and watched him depart to the royal wing before she herself returned to the quest wing.

Back at her room her mother let out a sigh when she saw her. "Where were you? Where did you get that rose? Oh, never mind, are you calmed down now?" she asked. "Yes, I am quite all right, mother", Elissa said while scanning the room searching for the flower bouquet. "Say, mother, where did you put the flowers I'm to wear tomorrow?". "They're by the bed. The maid will take them away to somewhere cooler to wait. I just wanted to have your opinion first", her mother said. Elissa walked towards the bouquet and examined it. It was pretty enough, but the rose in her hand just asked to be joined in it. She set the flower in the bouquet. A bit hidden, but still visible. Enough visible that she knew it was there, enough hidden so everyone else would think it as some random attention catcher they may have seen when they quickly glanced at the bouquet. "Now it's good", she whispered so silently that only she herself could hear it. "Darling, we still have to see how the satines arrange on the dress", Elissa's mother said to her daughter. "You, girl", she said to the maid, "Help her put it on.". Elissa resisted the urge to roll her eyes and forced a smile on her face when the elven maid took the green robe off her and started lacing the ivory dress on. And to Elissa's own suprise, the weddingdress now fit her perfectly.


	2. You only miss the sun when it starts to snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION SPOILERS!
> 
> Based on Cullen's remark after capturing Samson in which he mentions that if things had gone differently he might've been one of the red templars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I'm terrobly sorry for a loooooong time between the update. School's been keeping me busy as a bee and to be honest, a lack of ideas has been my guest as well.. Should've written the ideas down when I had them in Christmas.  
> 2) I might tweak this one after release, since it's 1.37 am and I just want this one out and go to bed after writing it all night.

_What if..._ Cassandra hadn't conscripted Cullen and he'd end up as a red templar?

 

_**You only miss the sun when it starts to snow** _

It was a quite quiet day in Emprise du Lion. Cold, sure. But quiet. A curious group of four was walking around the rocky paths leading towards the old watchtower. What made the group curious? When describing them, the teller may be confused as telling a bad joke. There was an elven woman, a mage, with a staff almost taller than herself obviously leading the group. A qunari with an enormous two-bearded axe lifted upon his shoulders. Next to him, almost ridiculously small in comparison, walked a dwarf carrying a crossbow. As the fourth one there was a young boy with two knives.. Or was there? No one ever seemed to remember if they'd seen him or not. The dwarf called out the name "Inquisitor? Ellana?", and the elf turned her gaze towards him. "Yes, Varric?", she asked from him. "Are we a long way from a camp? The lack of our healing potions is getting alarming", the dwarf asked. "I'm not exactly sure.. If I'm correct, we should reach the nearest before nightfall. If I'm not, it could take another two days to reach the next one", Ellana answered with a dry smile. "Aren't you just a ray of sunshine today", Varric muttered. "She is afraid getting lost will make her seem weak, when in fact it makes her seem more human", the young man said. "I don't know if 'human' is the right word, kid", the qunari said. "From my angle, her ears seem quite pointy and her form slihe. I'd say she's an elf. And a Dalish one at that. They really don't want to be told they have something 'human' in them". "Cole, Bull. Shut. Up", Ellana snarked. In truth, she herself was eager to get to the next main camp. Not only their healing potions were running low, she really couldn't handle red templars anymore. Every battle she and her companions had had with the kind since they woke up from their temporary camp this morning had exhausted her more and more. Fighting against the templar-types was the worst. As soon as they realized that she was a mage, they played the dirty cards. Ellana had had the priviledge to grow up with the Dalish clan Lavellan, where her magic was appreciated. If she had been born to an elven alienage, she would have been taken to the Circle as soon as her powers had started to show. That being said from her origin, the first time she had ever met templars was after she'd woken up in a prison cell underneath Haven's chantry and started a chain of events that would lead her being the Inquisitor. But the stories she had later heard from other mages of the Inquisition about the Order.. Templars knew how to break a mage and had not evn once frightened away from using their powers in a fight. How many spells she had failed because the enemy had purged their surroundings from hostile magic.. Everytime she fought with them, she was down to her luck of getting few spells right and keeping the templars at safe distance away. Ellana was glad she never had to fight alone. Even if her spells sometimes were cut off, the templar's tricks could never stop Varric's bolt or Cole's knives or Bull's axe. Still, the idea of another gruesome battle with a group of red templars wasn't exactly her piece of cake for this afternoon.

They hadn't had walked for very long - an hour, two at tops - when they started hearing the sounds. _It's them_. "Red templars", Ellana said and grabbed her staff. "Of course it is", Bull said and moved his axe to a two-handed grab. She felt the magic grow in her fingertips, tingling, ready to be directed through her staff to take down an unexpecting foe. She pointed her focus to create an icy blast, an attack she liked to call "Winter's Grasp", an easy spell to start the battle with. As the blast struck one of the red templars into solid ice, she decided that icy attacks were a way to go right now. With a gesture of pulling her arms apart from each other, a wall of ice grew behind her to protect her from the worst flanking attempts. The battle seemed to last forever. Ellana started to feel herself a bit weak. After every spell she felt like she had lost not only mana but also her strength. Walls of fire rose around her enemies and walls of ice to protect her companions. As Varric put a bolt on a red templar soldier's leg and made him fall, Ellana struck with an enormous lightning attack, vaporizing the fallen enemy. Her team had followed the basic, combat-ending tactic: all, what was left of the red templar group that had attacked them - a strength of five to seven men - was driven into one place. This gave Ellana an opportunity to open a rift upon the bunch of enemies and make an end of the rest of them.

As she closed the rift with one simple gesture, she let her staff fall to the ground. This battle had really took out the rest of what strength she had left. The healing potions had been all drunk during the battle and all that was left was couple of lyrium potions. She opened one of them and drank it. It didn't help as much as a healing potion. She felt her mana restoring, but her wounds would not heal, the blood would not stop bleeding and her head would not stop aching. She was just about to sit down on the grass and just pass out, when something intervened her plans. "Reinforcements!", Varric yelled. Ellana took a deep breath, lifted her staff to her shaking hands and started looking aroumd for enemies. All of her companions were already busy taking down the foot soldiers, archers and are you kidding me that's a Behemoth. She struck a lightning to one archer trying to take down Bull. She was just about to finish that one up, when a blast of white light struck her like a wave. She felt all of her mana draw out, and she fell to ground as her legs let her down. Some templar bastard purged the area. Without her mana, she did not have any of her strength left. She tried to raise with a support of her hands, but couldn't manage to do it. As she reached for her potions belt for lyrium potion, someone stepped on her hand. She turned her head to see who it was. A tall man in templar uniform stopd with one of his legs upon her hand and another one taking support from the ground. His face glowed with red lyrium. It even grew from between the strands of his curly hair. Ellana gathered every possible bit of strength she had in her and threw a fireball towards the templar. It was a small one, not even capable of giving him more than a slight burn. He avoided the attack with a turn of his shield. He reached for his sword and the force of his step on top of her arm grew stronger. Ellana tried to scream, but nothing came out from her mouth but a fainted cry of terror, almost a quiet shriek. She turned her head away from the templar and shut her eyes tight. She did not want to watch the blade come down to her neck. _May Falon'Din carry me in the afterworld and The Trickster never catch me._ She was about to lose her conciousness, when a soft "thunk" reached her ears along with a clutter of blade falling to ground. She opened her eyes and turned her head. The templar attacking her had fallen to the ground. He had a bolt sticking from the side of his head, just above his ear. Varric was running towards Ellana, putting his crossbow away. "You okay?" he shouted just before reaching her. She didn't say anything. She tried to rise up again, this time with the help of the dwarf. "No, not all the way up", she said. "Just sitting.". When she was sitting in the most confortable position possible, Varric started talking. "I knew that guy, you know. Knight-captain Cullen", he said, pointing at the templar lying dead on the ground. "Met him back in Kirkwall. Took everything very seriously. Especially mage-hunting. It was not only once when he even asked help from me and Hawke to do that. Always thought him as one of the good guys. He even stood up against Meredith to defend Hawke, you know.". He started to help her up to her legs. "Well", Ellana said while sneezing up blood dripping from her nose, "I guess there are really not the pure good guys in this war.". Varric kept her standing while Bull walked towards them and lifted Ellana to his arms. "The camp should be nearby. I'll carry you there", Bull said as she relaxed against his chest. "If it had been I who had injured in battle, would you carry me?" Varric asked from Bull teasingly. "Hell no, you are dense and heavy for someone so small. The Inquisitor is tiny and light. Put that in your books", he answered. Ellana started to drift away, and just before she fell asleep, she heard Varric saying: "I think you're right. It's not clear who's good and who's bad in this war. The only thing clear is that there will be lots of more bodies of the former good guys before this reaches its end.".


End file.
